Engage in a rich array of simple projects as we go to town using the wonderful, softly-scented and calming lavender flower. With cloth and lavender buds we’ll make pillows and sachets, and even small, sweet-smelling Hacky Sacks for extended play.

Bring your family for a guided Discovery Walk around the Harlem Meer and through the North Woods and take part in hands-on exploration led by Central Park Conservancy educators and Discovery Guides.

Families only; maximum of three children per parent or guardian. No groups, please. Ages 5+. Free. Space is limited; pre-registration required. Please arrive at the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center 15 minutes before the start of the Discovery Walk to allow time for check in and to pick up Discovery Kits.

Catch-and-release fishing is a great way to get outdoors and discover nature just a few blocks from home. Our experienced Rangers teach the ethics of fishing and the ecology of our waterways on every fishing program.

All equipment is provided, and most are first-come, first-served. Children 8 years and older are welcome. Participation in a mandatory safety review led by a trained Ranger is required.

This It's My Park season, volunteer with the Friends of Brower Park to help care for Brower Park. Volunteers are needed to mulch, weed, and plant the butterfly garden and tree beds. Please bring your own work gloves. There will be additional opportunities to get involved in Brower Park by connecting with group leaders. Please email info@friendsofbrowerpark.org to register for the project. We look forward to working with you to care for Brower Park!

Few experiences compare with being on the open water in New York City.

Our trained Urban Park Rangers will lead you on canoe adventures that range from the gentle waters of protected lakes to the challenging open waters of rivers and bays. For Intermediate programs some prior canoe experience is preferred.

Led by certified instructors from the Taoist Tai Chi Society of the USA, these classes offer the opportunity to learn Taoist Tai Chi, improve one’s health, relax, and exercise in an outdoor setting among changing exhibitions of contemporary sculpture.

Summer on the Hudson and NYC Urban Park Rangers connect you to the life living within the Hudson River. Come for the fishing, stay for the Arm of the Sea puppet theatre and the river-related arts & crafts. Fishing equipment provided.

Let nature inspire you to find your center and reconnect with your true self using guided mindfulness and other meditation practices. Each session, led by Yoga for Bliss director Neem Dewji and other qualified instructors, includes instruction in simple techniques, followed by guided meditations. Sessions are held indoors. All levels welcome.

Performances throughout the neighborhood will entertain and delight as you tour the streets of Bed-Stuy. The event features a short theatre performance by the Platea Theater Project and re-occurs all afternoon.

Play Me a Story, the interactive musical storytelling duo, will inspire love and appreciation for nature in a special performance of The Hatseller and the Squirrels for Central Park! The children will act out the characters with hand-made props and costumes, magical sounds from the forest, and original rhythmic music.

This family-friendly program is free. All are ages welcome. Please RSVP to let us know your coming

Catch-and-release fishing is a great way to get outdoors and discover nature just a few blocks from home. Our experienced Rangers teach the ethics of fishing and the ecology of our waterways on every fishing program.

All equipment is provided, and most are first-come, first-served. Children 8 years and older are welcome. Participation in a mandatory safety review led by a trained Ranger is required.

Visiting the Astoria Park Carnival is a great time to kick-off your summer plans. It is a four-day summer favorite that's packed with family fun, which will include rides, games, food, and entertainment.

There is no admission fee. Just bring your family and friends aand enjoy!

The Alley Pond Park Adventure Course offers free outdoor adventure that fosters trust, communication, and team building. The program is two-hour adventure which includes both low and high elements. The Adventure Course is open for individuals, small groups of friends, and family.

Space is Limited. Open to ages 8 and up. Minors must be accompanied by an adult. Valid photo identificaiton required. Sneakers required. For the months of July and August pre-registration is required. Please visit http://www.nycgovparks.org/programs/rangers/registration to enter your name into the lottery.

Celebrate International Mud Day by rolling up your sleeves and getting your hands dirty! Meet earthworms and other decomposers by exploring a compost bin. Learn about the important role these creatures play in our environment.

Join our volunteer Stephen DeVillo as he leads the "Devil's Belt" ramble down the Bronx River Greenway's southern connection in Soundview Park. Learn about the ecology, geology, and history of the river, its delta, and its estuary.

Awesome Asana Yoga is an hour-long exercise in body stretching and mind cleansing taught by registered yoga teacher Chelsea Best. As Chelsea says, “Awesome Asana offers a unique yogic journey, linking breath with movement in a meditative Vinyasa Flow class style designed to awaken the spirit and bring the body and mind back to a place of peace.” The class is Open Level Vinyasa, and is moderately challenging.

MJM’s Awesome Asana is part of Chelsea’s “Localize Yoga” project, which aims to make yoga affordable and accessible – to present it “as a possibility, rather than as a luxury” – to the denizens of upper Manhattan. The class is $5, and mats, should you need one, are provided.

On June 28th, the Danish opera company Pin-Upera will present their mini opera, "Clumsy Hans" to our audiences. Based on text from Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale and music selected from popular opera solos and duets, this production introduces the world of opera to children as well as adults, and educates listeners on standard opera repertoire and traditions. Bring a blanket and enjoy this free performance with the back-drop of views of the Hudson River.

Join the Prospect Park Alliance to check on the flax cropthey planted in the spring and try out the tools used to process flax fibers into linen cloth. Touch different pieces of linen cloth to compare the weaves and try on some linen reproduction clothes for a fun photo-op in our farm wagon.

We will demonstrate the basic tools and techniques of preserving herbs and vegetables for future use such as canning, drying, and freezing. Each participant will take a Mason jar full of garden goodness home.

The Queens Historical Society presents their newest exhibition, Leading the Way: Six Outstanding Women of Queens. Featuring women from diverse fields and backgrounds, who at one point in their lives lived and worked in Queens, the exhibition highlights the life and work of Helen Keller, Betty Friedan, Rise Stevens, Lisa Randall, Grace Lee Boggs, and Yeou-Cheng Ma. Also on display is an interactive installation of handmade sea glass-like objects by artist M. J. Levy Dickson, as an homage to Helen Keller. On view Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 2:30-4:30 p.m. until May 2016.

Henry IV, Part 1 depicts a span of history that begins with Hotspur's battle at Homildon in Northumberland against the Douglas late in 1402, and ends with the defeat of the rebels at Shrewsbury in the middle of 1403.

The mission of Hudson Warehouse is to present the classics in exciting productions inspired by our past and relevant to our present day. We want to educate the novice and enthrall the well-versed. We embrace the traditional and innovative, the classical and the modern classic. Through the dedication, passion and intelligence of all our theater artists, we bring these works to life. When our work elicits a true emotional response from an audience member, this experience reaffirms that theatre is a "ware" that is essential to daily life.

Academy Award nominee Sam Waterston (Newsroom, Law & Order, The Public’s King Lear) returns in The Tempest, Shakespeare’s classic about young love, old enemies and the eternal magic of storytelling. Exiled to a fantastical island, Prospero unleashes a churning storm to shipwreck the traitor brother who stole his throne and settle the score once and for all. But bitter revenge is upended by newfound love in this sublime masterpiece that proves we are all “such stuff as dreams are made on.” Tony Award nominee Michael Greif (Romeo and Juliet, Our Lady of Kibeho, If/Then, Next to Normal) directs.

Paddington tells the story of a young bear (Ben Whishaw) who loses his home in a deadly earthquake in the Peruvian rain forest. In search of a new home, he makes his way to England and finds himself at the "Paddington" train station in London. He finds shelter with the family of Henry (Hugh Bonneville) and Mary Brown (Sally Hawkins). Although Paddington's amazement at urban living soon endears him to the Browns, someone else has her eye on him: Taxidermist Millicent Clyde (Nicole Kidman) has designs on the rare bear and his hide. Rated G

Know Before You Go: You should come before 8:30 p.m. to get your spot. Please bring your own picnic blanket or chair, as there is a limited supply of chairs reserved for seniors or people with disabilities. Food is OK, but no alcohol. Reservations are not taken, so space is available on a first come first served basis. All are welcome!

Located along the esplanade leading up to the recently opened High Bridge, Oh Sit! 14 Sculptors Consider the Chair is a group exhibition of nine artists’ public artworks. In a frantic world, finding a chair can be almost impossible and settling comfortably into one can be an enormous satisfaction. Sitting in the wrong seat can cause anxiety and an even pain. Exhibiting artists Dan Bergman, Allan Cyprys, Robert Dell, Gregoire Ferland, Esther Grillo, Christina Jorge, Siena Gillann Porta, Herb Rosenberg and Chuck von Schmidt respond imaginatively to the notion of sitting or using a chair. Oh Sit! is framed as an imperative, a command—a way of asking the viewer to look and really consider the concept “chair” both objectively and subjectively.

Are you having trouble waking up to work out? Do you need motivation to get those feet moving in the morning? If so, join our team of runners looking to gain ground on your goals one stride or step at a time! It doesn’t matter whether you’re an experienced, recreational or novice runner, Morning Miles welcomes participants of all ages, levels and abilities. Our supportive group running atmosphere will incorporate a combination of speed, strength, and endurance principles that will have you jumping right out of bed, ignoring that snooze button, and lacing up those running shoes.

All classes are weather dependent. In cases of rain, please call (718) 667-3543 to confirm classes are still on.

Living Landmarks celebrates the nine individually landmarked New York City public parks in honor of the 50th anniversary of the City's landmarks law. The exhibit showcases their contributions to landscape design and to the dynamism of the city through historical and contemporary photography, renderings, maps, artifcats, and memorabilia.

Walking is peaceful; it’s therapeutic; it’s soothing. Picture the sun shining, the wind in your hair and the birds flying above. Breezy Seniors, a walking program available to all seniors, offers an escape from your normal daily routine one step at a time! Enjoy nature along the beautiful Staten Island coastline, while chatting with your friends, family and neighbors. This relaxing walking program will have you continuously moving and thinking with movements that emphasize flexibility, endurance, range of motion.

All classes are weather dependent. In cases of rain, please call (718) 667-3543 to confirm classes are still on.

Pitch, shoot and score with NYC Parks! Summer Sports Experience welcomes kids to join this free program focused on developing sports skills. Kids will play a variety of sports each day, and can come every session, or just once. Take your pick! The program is available in all five boroughs, so find the one nearest you.

To get started, please register by email with Manhattan Borough Coordinator Anthony Traverso (click here to email him). See you there!

Come take in the ocean scenery along the Franklin D. Roosevelt boardwalk as we walk and stride for fitness. Starting from the Splaza, Breezy Walk will include handheld weights and fitness bands. By incorporating various movements along the route, Breeze Walk will provide a relaxing, healthy atmosphere that will brighten your day. Mingle and meet your Ocean Breeze neighbors and have some fun down by the beach.

All classes are weather dependent. In cases of rain, please call (718) 667-3543 to confirm classes are still on.

The North Woods is the largest of the park's three woodlands, offering people and wildlife a 40-acre forest retreat in the middle of New York City. Join a tour of tumbling waterfalls, rustic bridges, and picturesque pools, led by Central Park Conservancy guides.

The tour route involves hills, stairs, and uneven terrain. Tour starts at the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center (inside the Park at 110th Street between Fifth and Lenox Avenues), and ends at the Pool (103rd Street and Central Park West)

Bryant Park speaks Italian, Brazilian Portuguese, Japanese, and Spanish this summer with free classes from inlingua. Learn a new language in these standalone beginner classes. Classes are not cumulative, so you may attend any class throughout the season.

If you find that registration for the class you'd like to take is full, take a chance and drop by! We have been able to accommodate walk-ins at some of our summer classes.

Are you interested in building up your stamina? Do you have trouble maintaining your workout? If so, Going the Distance can help you! We’ll develop your endurance, strengthen your muscles and improve cardiovascular fitness while striving to promote a healthy lifestyle. Come check us out and find out what it means to go the distance!

All classes are weather dependent. In cases of rain, please call (718) 667-3543 to confirm classes are still on.

Training events are designed to help voluntreers apply their online learning to master the TreeKIT mapping method and the Treecorder software before collecting data for TreesCount! 2015. This is a free event, please bring a photo ID with you. All equipment will be provided. All you need is a willingness to learn! You will be signing in with your username so please have that handy.

Come on out to the park to find the schedule and get into the movie-going mood with free popcorn and activities, courtesy of Bank of America.

Burt Lancaster, the acrobat-turned acclaimed actor starring in his first film, is a former boxer fleeing his checkered past on a cross country journey with a double-crossing dame (a sultry Ava Gardner). Based on an Ernest Hemingway story and directed by Richard Siodmak. A flawless film noir.

Learn to sail on Flushing Meadows Corona Park’s scenic Meadow Lake with the help of The American Small Craft Association (TASCA). This comprehensive program includes two lecture classes on the theoretical aspects of sailing and six on-the-water classes. Participants will learn to tie knots, rig a boat, and understand using the wind (as your engine) to sail the boat.

You may attend either the first lecture on Saturday, June 20 from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., or the makeup lecture on Wednesday, June 24 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The second lecture is scheduled for Saturday, July 11 from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., or the makeup lecture on Wednesday, July 22 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. You will also be asked to take a series of on-the-water classes starting Saturday June 27. You may choose between evening (6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.) classes on Mondays, Tuesdays, or Thursdays, or a morning class (10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.) on Saturdays.

Participants will also be asked to complete a successful swim test on a Sunday in July (TBA) or August 23 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

Total Body Burn is an intermediate level class which consists of aerobics, a full body workout that helps with balance, muscle strength, and endurance. This instructor is part of the NYC Parks Fitness Instructor Training Program.

Join us for this dance class. All are welcome to learn the traditional dances unique to West Africa. You can also bring your own drum and follow the guidance of our professional drumming teachers playing for the class. African dances are largely participatory, with spectators being part of the performance. Get fit while becoming more musical!

Academy Award nominee Sam Waterston (Newsroom, Law & Order, The Public’s King Lear) returns in The Tempest, Shakespeare’s classic about young love, old enemies and the eternal magic of storytelling. Exiled to a fantastical island, Prospero unleashes a churning storm to shipwreck the traitor brother who stole his throne and settle the score once and for all. But bitter revenge is upended by newfound love in this sublime masterpiece that proves we are all “such stuff as dreams are made on.” Tony Award nominee Michael Greif (Romeo and Juliet, Our Lady of Kibeho, If/Then, Next to Normal) directs.

Total Body Boot Camp is a full body, high intensity workout that will focus on improving overall fitness and building strength. Using light weights and body weight exercises, we’ll activate and develop primary muscle groups as well as secondary, less utilized muscles that get overlooked. By focusing on the entire body, Total Body Boot Camp will allow muscles to trigger simultaneously in order to optimize your results!

All classes are weather dependent. In cases of rain, please call (718) 667-3543 to confirm classes are still on.

Located along the esplanade leading up to the recently opened High Bridge, Oh Sit! 14 Sculptors Consider the Chair is a group exhibition of nine artists’ public artworks. In a frantic world, finding a chair can be almost impossible and settling comfortably into one can be an enormous satisfaction. Sitting in the wrong seat can cause anxiety and an even pain. Exhibiting artists Dan Bergman, Allan Cyprys, Robert Dell, Gregoire Ferland, Esther Grillo, Christina Jorge, Siena Gillann Porta, Herb Rosenberg and Chuck von Schmidt respond imaginatively to the notion of sitting or using a chair. Oh Sit! is framed as an imperative, a command—a way of asking the viewer to look and really consider the concept “chair” both objectively and subjectively.

Come to Fort Tryon Park and try something new. Join us on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings for one hour of walking, stretching, and strengthening exercises.

All of our fitness programs are free, led by trained professionals, and suitable for all levels. Wear comfortable clothing and bring water. Please check back for rain and weather/air advisory cancels.

For a breath of fresh air, take your workouts outdoors. Parks are becoming a logical alternative environment for those who want to add variety to their work outs, or who just don't like the gym. And, it's an affordable way to increase physical activity opportunities, because there's nothing special to build.

Exercise with a view, in natural sunlight, with green scenery all around bestows health benefits that can’t be found indoors. Scientific studies have shown that the pleasure of being outdoors for example gives your brain, psyche, and immune system an extra boost.

Please note: Fitness programs are canceled if the weather is lower than 20 degrees and when there are icy conditions. Saturday morning walks begin at 8:30 a.m.

Living Landmarks celebrates the nine individually landmarked New York City public parks in honor of the 50th anniversary of the City's landmarks law. The exhibit showcases their contributions to landscape design and to the dynamism of the city through historical and contemporary photography, renderings, maps, artifcats, and memorabilia.

Looking for gardening experience in one of New York City's most unique and dynamic downtown parks? Want to strengthen your foundation in horticultural practices and develop new skills? Get your hands dirty with The Battery Conservancy's Horticulture team! In its 25 acres, The Battery boasts 92,000 square feet of gardens, all designed by renowned Dutch garden designer Piet Oudolf. Through preservation and the use of native plants, sustainable plant selections and growing methods, the Conservancy has made a strong commitment to environmental conservation.

Volunteer Description

The Battery Conservancy seeks volunteers for maintenance of plant beds. Activities include raking, weeding, and planting; path maintenance; and other seasonally appropriate horticulture projects. Volunteers should be in good physical condition, and enjoy working outdoors. Basic horticulture skills are a plus, but not required. For more information, visit http://www.thebattery.org/volunteer.

Pitch, shoot and score with NYC Parks! Summer Sports Experience welcomes kids to join this free program focused on developing sports skills. Kids can come every session, or just once. Take your pick! The program is available in all five boroughs, so find the one nearest you.

Games at this site include: Track and Field, Street Hockey, Basketball, Soccer, Flag Football and Kickball.

Recommended for kids ages 6-13. To get started, please register by email with Sarah Bishow-Semevolos (click here to email her).

Pitch, shoot and score with NYC Parks! Summer Sports Experience welcomes kids to join this free program focused on developing sports skills. Kids will play a variety of sports each day, and can come every session, or just once. Take your pick! The program is available in all five boroughs, so find the one nearest you.

To get started, please register by email with Manhattan Borough Coordinator Anthony Traverso (click here to email him). See you there!

Training events are designed to help voluntreers apply their online learning to master the TreeKIT mapping method and the Treecorder software before collecting data for TreesCount! 2015. This is a free event. All equipment will be provided. All you need is a willingness to learn! You will be signing in with your username, so have that readily available.

Start time: 10:00 am

End time: 1:00 pm

Contact phone:

Location: At the northeast corner of Rockland Avenue and Richmond Avenue in Staten Island

Can’t wait for beach season? Well you’re not alone! Summer is just around the corner and there is no better way to get your body moving than to just jump on in! Jump into Summer is a jump rope interval training program designed to enhance endurance, stamina, and coordination. Jumping rope offers a great way to tone various parts of your body while concentrating on cardiovascular fitness and health.

All classes are weather dependent. In cases of rain, please call (718) 667-3543 to confirm classes are still on.

Do you remember the days of toned, tight abdominal muscles? Well, those days aren’t gone forever and we can help you get them back! AbDominator offers an intense abdominal and core focused fitness program equipped with variable and adaptable workouts. This program is designed to strengthen the core and burn fat while increasing flexibility by incorporating time for stretching. AbDominator is able to focus on movements that activate your upper and lower abdominals as well as your obliques.

All classes are weather dependent. In cases of rain, please call (718) 667-3543 to confirm classes are still on.

Join us and learn some basic Hatha Yoga techniques to initiate relaxation. Learn how to influence changes within our physical and emotional responses to stress. The focus of the class will be breathing, sound, and mindfullness.

Explore the wetlands and learn about the life cycles of the pond. Observe many of the pond's residents in action—swimming, basking, diving, or even walking on water. Then we will return to the Education Building to examine pond life, water, and more under microscopes, a flex cam, and other lab equipment sponsored by the Northfield Foundation.

This program is designed for ages 8 and up and their adult chaperones. This event is sponsored by Councilwoman Debi Rose.

Learn how to adapt traditional yoga poses while sitting or standing with the support of a chair. Outdoor classes combine stretching, strengthening and breathing techniques designed to relieve stress, calm the mind and increase mobility. Led by a member from the Yoga for Bliss team, chair yoga is suitable for all ages, fitness levels and physical conditions.

In the main gallery, Seven Deadly Sins: Wrath–Force of Nature explores contemporary anxieties about the environment through painterly and sculptural depictions of natural disasters and their aftermath. The Sunroom Project Space hosts two site-specific installations that integrate the outdoors into the architecture of Glyndor House. Tamara Johnson extends the balustrade of the pergola into the Sun Porch, while Eto Otitigbe’s installation in the Sunroom gives sculptural form to his experience of Wave Hill’s grounds.

Tours take place Tuesdays and Saturdays at 2 p.m. This event is free with admission to the grounds.

The Queens Historical Society presents their newest exhibition, Leading the Way: Six Outstanding Women of Queens. Featuring women from diverse fields and backgrounds, who at one point in their lives lived and worked in Queens, the exhibition highlights the life and work of Helen Keller, Betty Friedan, Rise Stevens, Lisa Randall, Grace Lee Boggs, and Yeou-Cheng Ma. Also on display is an interactive installation of handmade sea glass-like objects by artist M. J. Levy Dickson, as an homage to Helen Keller. On view Tuesdays, Saturdays and Sundays from 2:30-4:30 p.m. until May 2016.

Have you ever been sore after a night of dancing? If so, you’re not alone! Dancing is one of the best ways to work out and Breezy Bodies offers just that! By providing an atmosphere of upbeat dancing, Breezy Bodies with focus on cardiovascular fitness, coordination and strengthening of your core muscles. Feel the rhythm, feel the beat and feel yourself getting into shape by doing something that you love!

All classes are weather dependent. In cases of rain, please call (718) 667-3543 to confirm classes are still on.

Union Square Park's playground isn't the only place kids can have fun in the park! Bring your little ones to The Pavilion in the North Plaza every Tuesday at 3 p.m. to explore fun new topics every month through arts and crafts!

Training events are designed to help voluntreers apply their online learning to master the TreeKIT mapping method and the Treecorder software before collecting data for TreesCount! 2015. This is a free event, please bring a photo ID with you. All equipment will be provided. All you need is a willingness to learn! You will be signing in with your username so please have that handy.

Training events are designed to help voluntreers apply their online learning to master the TreeKIT mapping method and the Treecorder software before collecting data for TreesCount! 2015. This is a free event, please bring a photo ID with you. All equipment will be provided. All you need is a willingness to learn! You will be signing in with your username so please have that handy.

Bring a chair or blanket and enjoy Modern Israeli, Classic Yemenite, and popular Chassidic melodies!

Sponsored by Borough President Melina Katz and Council District 29, in partnership with Queens Jewish Community Council, Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty, and Forest Hills Jewish Center.

Nicole Yearwood, City Parks Foundation, Director of Government Relations
Since 2008, Nicole has been the Director of Government Relations for City Parks Foundation where she has represented the interests of parks volunteers to elected officials, and secured funding for Partnerships and other CPF programs. Prior, she has worked for former Manhattan Borough President, C. Virginia Fields. In 2004, Ms. Yearwood was elected as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. Additionally, she worked in Philadelphia for the John Kerry presidential campaign. She has over a decade of experience in government and politics.

Emily Walker, New Yorkers for Parks, Director of Outreach & Programs
Emily manages NY4P’s relationships with parks advocates and “friends of parks” groups throughout New York City, and oversees The Daffodil Project. Prior to joining NY4P, Emily was Research Assistant to Tom Hayden and helped facilitate the incorporation of the Peace and Justice Resource Center. She also has experience working in grassroots community outreach in Los Angeles and Hunts Point in the South Bronx.

This yoga class is appropriate for all ages and abilities. Wear comfortable clothing. Bring your own mat and water. No class in case of rain. Please follow us on Facebook for most up-to-date weather info.